Wow Dick Gordon

ROBIN
PADILLA PROMOTES ARMM AUTOMATED POLLS. Actor Robin Padilla holds up a
comic book educating voters about the August 11 automated elections in
the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. With Padilla are Senator
Richard Gordon, Henrietta de Villa, chairperson of the Pastoral Council
for Responsible Voting; Kevin Chung, Chief Executive Officer of Avante
International Technology Inc. which signed up the actor, a Muslim
convert, for P2 million to promote the computerized polls; and Comelec
commissioner Moslemen Macarambon. Photo taken by INQUIRER.net Reporter
Katherine Evangelista

MANILA, Philippines - The
chairman of the Senate committee on constitutional amendments and
revision of laws on Friday vowed to shoot down moves to postpone the
scheduled Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) elections.

Sen.
Richard Gordon issued the threat during a weekly forum in Quezon City,
saying that he would move once the bill reaches the Senate.

His remarks came after the bill seeking to postpone the ARMM polls was filed at the House of Representatives.

The bill seeks to re-schedule the ARMM polls from August this year to May 2010.

"Well, I can filibuster the proceedings. That measure will fall in my committee," Gordon said.

Gordon
had authored the Amended Automated Elections Law or republic Act 9369
which calls for the pilot testing of automated election system in six
cities and six provinces prior to its implementation in a national
election.

He also pushed for the pilot testing of the automated elections during the ARMM polls slated on August 11.

"The
ARMM has been labeled in the past as the perennial election hotspot and
where supposedly a lot of cheating takes place. If the automated
election works in ARMM, it can work anywhere in the country," Gordon
said.- GMANews.TV

Senator vows to filibuster vs ARMM polls postponement
07/25/2008 | 09:43 PM
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/109459/
Senator-vows-to-filibuster-vs-ARMM-polls-postponement

Senator
Richard Gordon and US Ambassador Kristie Kenney watch as NBA Washington
Wizard star Gilbert Arenas hands a Team Philippines jacket to Manny
Pacquiao after the Ateneo-La Salle UAAP game. With them are Adidas
director Joey Singian.

Philippine
National Red Cross (PNRC) chairman and Sen. Richard Gordon said many
parts of Cotabato City remain flooded but are getting little help from
the government.

"I think the (government) agencies have
forgotten about Cotabato," Gordon said, adding that a number of
families in the city choose to stay in their flooded homes instead of
seeking refuge in evacuation centers.

"If you see the people
there, they’re on rooftops. They are in a very difficult situation.
Even the bridges are damaged," he said.

Cotabato Archbishop
Orlando Quevedo, former president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference
of the Philippines (CBCP), also appealed for help for the city’s flood
victims.

The 69-year-old prelate said some 2,800 of the affected
families are staying in 25 evacuation centers, and 11,000 others in
temporary shelters provided by the city government and the Catholic
Church.

Gordon said the Cotabato City needs more food, medicine,
rubber boats, ambulances and four-wheel drive vehicles so those in
far-flung areas could be rescued.

He said there must also be massive effort to repair all the drainage systems destroyed by the floodwaters.

"It
has been two weeks. The Muslim children cannot go to school because
their schools are also submerged. I will ask the NDCC (National
Disaster Coordinating Council) to provide additional assistance to
Cotabato," he said.

Aside from giving donations in cash or kind, Quevedo said city folk unaffected by the flooding could render volunteer work.

"There
are a hundred little things to be done. They could (remove) water
lilies or provide food for the volunteers, list names, repack and
distribute supplies, and visit the evacuees," he said.

"I thank
everyone and every organization – government, non-government, civic
organizations, religious groups, the military – helping take care of
their needs," Quevedo said.

Assistance may be coursed through
the Mindanao Cross, Notre Dame Avenue, Cotabato City; dxMS Cotabato
City, dxND Kidapawan City and dxOM-FM Koronadal City.

Cash
donations may be remitted to Notre Dame University, Metrobank Account
No. 707-490-0107, or the Archdiocese of Cotabato, EastWest Bank Account
No. 63-02-005212.

Gordon, bishop appeal for aid for Cotobato
Philippine Star
07/14/2008
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storyPage.aspx?storyId=125091